Response to Public Comments on Amending General Permitting Regulations Relating to Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements With Assurances

On June 17, 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a final rule amending parts 13 and 17 of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This rule created regulations for the new Safe Harbor and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances policies, and also dictated when the permitting requirements of Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) and Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) permits, issued under the authority of section 10 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), will vary from the Service's general part 13 permitting requirements. On February 11, 2000, we published a request for additional public comment on seven specific regulatory changes that altered the applicability of 50 CFR part 13 to permits for HCPs, SHAs and CCAAs. Based on our review of the comments, we have decided not to repropose any of the amendments to part 13 or part 17.